The Quest for a Silver Buckle and another 100 Mile Endurance Run Finish

2/17/2012 Rocky Road 100


It’s Friday and I’m sitting here too anxious for focusing on work. In a little more than 12 hours I will be toe-ing the line for my second official 100 mile endurance run.

After finishing such a stellar 24:34 at Rio Del Lago 100 in 2010, I’ve been a little shy to get back out there for fear that the accomplishment would not be repeated. But if I was afraid of such silly things then I would not be an Ultra runner… so here I am just hours from another fabulous journey of the mind, body and soul. It’s only slightly odd that I don’t feel overly nervous. Something about the quantity of races I’ve completed over the last 10 years has given me a very physical awareness of what it’s going to feel like during the invite. The good part of this is that it helps minimize the inevitable ‘butterflies’ in the stomache feeling.

Rocky Road 100 by the looks of it will be far different than my true 100 miler at RDL100. The terrain dare I say, looks quite manageable, and with a 15 mile loop I won’t even be carrying a hydration pack but rather just a bottle or two for each loop. I’ll grab substance from each of the aid stations and my vehicle (if I can park close enough).

Though I’m very excited for this race and know that I have the mental tenacity to get through I do have one somewhat regret. That my numero uno cheerleader, friend, and partner… my wife, will likely not be in attendance this time. She has only missed one ultra before which was a small one which I had repeated a couple of times. Even when I’m at my worst physically, mentally, and emotionally if I know that she is there it just lifts me up and quite honestly makes me feel like Superman. I don’t know how she does it or why I’m so moved by it but I absolutely feel convinced that I am a Superhero when she is near, especially at races. It was just unfortunate that this race dictates differently. I’m ok with it because I know she would be there if she could. Due to the looping of this course it will help that I have a few friends doing the 50 mile and one other doing the 100 mile option, I won’t be alone. My wife and I are so happy with such good memories that she will still drive me to the finish even if she were 100 miles away (pun intended), I only need to think about some of our fonder memories to make me smile... and a smile can carry me many miles in darkness and in light. No matter what I know she is already proud of me and me of her. We will enjoy the post festivities and she will be present for many many more races to come. It’s a Wonderful Life.

So with this race almost at foot (harhar), I can now let out my secret goals and divulge my hopeful efforts: First as always is simply to show up and go for the finish, secondly is a PR, and third and very desirable in my mind is it would be freakin’ awesome if I could shave off those 34 minutes for a sub 24 hr finish. I will indeed be thrilled simply to receive a buckle no matter what but a Sub24 hr finish would just be cou’de’gras….



So with that I will just keep moving forward one step at a time, and by the end of this weekend let’s see just what color that buckle is !

Joey